Everybody slams Bix...
- bixll

Nah....we all love the Bix. Until he disappears in the playoffs 🤣

Matthews had at least 5 quality chances that he would normally bury like 80% of the time.

Not everything can be Marner's fault. Matthews is paid to score, he didn't.

The coaches are paid to give their team the best chance to win - they didn't.

Marner is paid for his offensive creativity - he was the most predictable player on the ice.

Matthews was less responsible than Marner or the coaching staff in my opinion - but he isn't to be absolved of the collapse.
- Leafs43

Agree , the team game and gameplan were much more of a problem than Matthews production. When Josh Andersen, Suzuki, Gallagher had the puck over the blueline they made a beeline to the net and got a shot away. When Marner stepped over the line he did a cute little button hook and the puck went into the corner with the hopes of setting up the cycle. Driving the net was not part of the Leaf plan.

Best......right after the giraffe.



- Garnie

Engvall and Chara ??

Matthews had at least 5 quality chances that he would normally bury like 80% of the time.

Not everything can be Marner's fault. Matthews is paid to score, he didn't.

The coaches are paid to give their team the best chance to win - they didn't.

Marner is paid for his offensive creativity - he was the most predictable player on the ice.

Matthews was less responsible than Marner or the coaching staff in my opinion - but he isn't to be absolved of the collapse.
- Leafs43

There's another side to that argument, that being Matthews basically being held accountable for not succeeding entirely by himself.

Ahhh, nice little throwback from the Sundin days.

Nah....we all love the Bix. Until he disappears in the playoffs 🤣
- Garnie

Have to take breaks..

Engvall and Chara ??
- bixll

Maybe....

Only if we outnuber them, LOLOL... Friggin Hab fan
- bixll

Have to take breaks..
- bixll

Yep, agreed.


*see you in October*

Yep, agreed.


*see you in October*
- Garnie

Good idea. Cheers.

Why ignore his first half?

He was incredible the first half, then (like the rest of the team) his production dropped a cliff.

Wouldn't considering both be more fair to the player, which implies he's a guy that can score 25 goals a year while bringing physical play?

Anyway it feels this horse has been beaten to death, brought back to life and beaten down again. We'll just have to see how he does next year.

- Scabeh

We can include the first half if you like. The statistical trend showed that his performance was sharply declining as the season progressed. I doubt he reaches 25 goals had the season run the full 82 games and there's nothing historically beyond one breakout season that indicates he would have.

As per beating a dead horse, I felt it needed further beating as some fans in here are seriously over-estimating (in my opinion) his value.

The Leafs are cap-crunched and some are wishing we had Josh Anderson and his 5.5M cap hit. Meanwhile, we have Zach Hyman who most seem to agree would be overpaid at anywhere above 4.5M despite vastly out-performing Anderson.

But yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing him pot 30 next year and eating crow.

Rick Tocchet. Still could
- drexel

How about Gary Roberts?

I miss Gary...

We can include the first half if you like. The statistical trend showed that his performance was sharply declining as the season progressed. I doubt he reaches 25 goals had the season run the full 82 games and there's nothing historically beyond one breakout season that indicates he would have.

As per beating a dead horse, I felt it needed further beating as some fans in here are seriously over-estimating (in my opinion) his value.

The Leafs are cap-crunched and some are wishing we had Josh Anderson and his 5.5M cap hit. Meanwhile, we have Zach Hyman who most seem to agree would be overpaid at anywhere above 4.5M despite vastly out-performing Anderson.

But yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing him pot 30 next year and eating crow.
- mjones242

30 would be a great year.

But if he remains healthy, especially if paired with Suzuki/Caufield the whole year....

I'd be willing to make a friendly wager he scores at least 24.

There's another side to that argument, that being Matthews basically being held accountable for not succeeding entirely by himself.

Ahhh, nice little throwback from the Sundin days.
- joel878

He had multiple grade A scoring chances that he failed to finish. That isn't Marner's fault.

You can blame Marner for dragging the line down. You can blame Marner for being predictable. You can blame Marner for reducing the number of scoring chances Matthews got. You can blame Marner for being a giveaway machine. You can't blame him for Matthews failing to finish on any of his grade A scoring chances.

30 would be a great year.

But if he remains healthy, especially if paired with Suzuki/Caufield the whole year....

I'd be willing to make a friendly wager he scores at least 24.
- Scabeh

If you continue to win playoff rounds and he’s still got speed and forcing D to get rid of it early who cares how many he scores.

JMO

Tom Wilson
E. Kane
The Tkachuk bros
Kadri


Sadly a long way off from your Iginla's.
- AdamFrench

I think the bar I would set for true "scoring power forward" would be 30+ goals. E. Kane and M. Tkachuk might be the only guys that meet that - good call on them.

Maybe Brady Tkachuk gets there? He's a beaut!

I don't think Kadri is capable of 30 anymore and I don't think I'd ever classify him truly as a "power forward". He's more that Brad Marchand pest type (though obviously not in the same class as that rat bastard).

I like his game, he’d be way more useful then Willie at 6.9 IMO
- Garnie

You can't be serious.

You can't be serious.
- mjones242

Yes

Like his overall game way more. 🤷🏻‍♂️


Sorry

Agree , the team game and gameplan were much more of a problem than Matthews production. When Josh Andersen, Suzuki, Gallagher had the puck over the blueline they made a beeline to the net and got a shot away. When Marner stepped over the line he did a cute little button hook and the puck went into the corner with the hopes of setting up the cycle. Driving the net was not part of the Leaf plan.
- winsix

Leafs need to add a north-south part of their game that adds some unpredictability to their strategy/lineup.

The heavy emphasis on possession at all costs doesn't seem to translate too well in the playoffs when teams can circle the wagons, let their goalie make some saves, and then frustratingly convert on every turn over chance they get.

He had multiple grade A scoring chances that he failed to finish. That isn't Marner's fault.

You can blame Marner for dragging the line down. You can blame Marner for being predictable. You can blame Marner for reducing the number of scoring chances Matthews got. You can blame Marner for being a giveaway machine. You can't blame him for Matthews failing to finish on any of his grade A scoring chances.
- Leafs43

Good point, Matthews needs to be better. With Marner you forgot falling down when the opponent blows him a kiss or farts in his direction.

Leafs need to add a north-south part of their game that adds some unpredictability to their strategy/lineup.

The heavy emphasis on possession at all costs doesn't seem to translate too well in the playoffs when teams can circle the wagons, let their goalie make some saves, and then frustratingly convert on every turn over chance they get.
- mjones242

Especially when we seemed to dump and chase it a lot in the final games, something the team certainly isn’t built for.

Yes

Like his overall game way more. 🤷🏻‍♂️


Sorry
- Garnie

I like players who score lots of points in the post-season. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Digressing every so slightly, it would be neat to have a statistic that actually assessed the value of each hit. Not only are hits highly subjective (and outrageously counted in the playoffs) but many of them don't actually have any real impact(!) on the play.

I'm willing to bet some players (no, not Willie) who throw few hits actually have a higher ratio of "useful" hits to those who just crash and bang in an attempt to cause some kind of mayhem.

Especially when we seemed to dump and chase it a lot in the final games, something the team certainly isn’t built for.
- Garnie

Exactly! We need a line that can actually do the dump and chase routine and be effective at it.

He had multiple grade A scoring chances that he failed to finish. That isn't Marner's fault.

You can blame Marner for dragging the line down. You can blame Marner for being predictable. You can blame Marner for reducing the number of scoring chances Matthews got. You can blame Marner for being a giveaway machine. You can't blame him for Matthews failing to finish on any of his grade A scoring chances.
- Leafs43

It was pretty irritating seeing Marner attempt many limp noodle shots on Leafs power plays while AM34 got very few looks.

It's almost like the Leafs need another shooter on that line. Like say... I dunno... William (frank)ing Nylander.

(also, please can we have a d-man with a cannon on the point? Can Sandin be that guy pretty please?)

30 would be a great year.

But if he remains healthy, especially if paired with Suzuki/Caufield the whole year....

I'd be willing to make a friendly wager he scores at least 24.
- Scabeh

Jonesy's wager:

If he scores 23 (or less) I get to beat the dead horse again.

If he scores 24+ I will concede.

Especially when we seemed to dump and chase it a lot in the final games, something the team certainly isn’t built for.
- Garnie

A couple of bigger bodies like giraffe and Mikheyev are, only they are unwilling to hit. It is on the coach and GM to get the third liners to play the roles they are there for. Neither of these two were scoring so hit the snot out of opponents or ride the bench or go to the (frank)en AHL.